Monday, February 14, 2011

News from The Telegraph said that the Internet connection in Algeria has been disconnected in relation to the protests that began on Saturday was belied today by Renesys, according to the Huffington Post.

In its blog, the Internet intelligence Renesys said, "Early reports from Algeria tonight suggested that another Internet takedown may be underway, similar to the one that affected Egypt. So far however, we don't see confirming evidence for it."

The experiences of Tunisia and Egypt proved that social media like Facebook and Twitter are powerful tools to disseminate information and spread public sentiments. Protesters use them to know where the snipers are. An earlier report claimed that Twitter saved a protester's life.

Meanwhile, the attached YouTube video shows that despite the long-standing emergency rule, thousands of activists went to the streets of Algiers to demonstrate anti-government protests like those in Tunisia and Egypt. They demanded for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down.

Activists are complaining of rocketing food prices, poor housing, and high unemployment rate. Most importantly, they are tired of the authoritarian government.

One protester shouted, "We've had enough of secret killings, enough poverty, enough of degrading policies, and enough of life in humiliating conditions. Enough of the lack of freedom!"

Hundreds of people were arrested by the over 35,000 police officers in the capital city demanding the end of the 19-year emergency rule.

Protests in this North African country had been going on intermittently for months even preceding those of Tunisia and Egypt.

The government has promised to address the protesters' demands such as unemployment, allow for more freedom of expression, and to lift the emergency rule.